Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 12820, Asa Durham, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.
Durham, Asa or Durwin
S12820
Carded
CONTENTS

New York, 14611.
Asa 14661 Durham of Coeymans in the State of N.Y. who was a pr: 2 Serg: in the Company commanded by Captain Barnes of the Reg't commanded by Col. Woodbridge in the line for
  Mars.   13. Mo. private 43. 33.   2. Mo. Serg: 10. 00   53. 33. 
on the Roll of N.Y. at the rate of 53. Dollars 33. Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 7. day of June 1832. and sent to Barak Niles, Cincinnati N.Y.
  Arrears to the 4th of March 1832. 106. 66.   Trans. allowance ending 4 Sept. -"- 26 66   133. 32. 
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by J. F. [Signature] Clerk, book E. Vol. 4- Page 53

1591,
Asa Durham Cortland county New York
alias Asa Durwin
5.14~
P 392
Barak Niles Cincinnatus New York

BRIEF in the case of  Asa Durham alias Durwin  of  Cortland county in the State of New York  (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? court  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? 72  4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed. 
   Period. Duration of Service. Rank. Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.   Years, Months, Days.     intitled In 1775 Above 12 As a Gen. Capt Barnes, Col Woodbridge Capt Goodrich, Col Green   1777 1 Capt Merrill   2 Sergt same   6 Capt Barnes  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? Bernington  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Sauersborough, Mass.  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? living witnesses and traditional  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? correct 
X Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
S. P. Bradford
Examining Clerk.

Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress, passed June 7 th 1832 -
State of New York
Cortland County } ss. On this twenty fifth day of September in
the year, 1832, personally appeared in open court before, William Mallon, Joseph Reynolds, Andrew Dickson, Aaron Brown and Oliver Pringman Esqrs. — Judges of the court of common pleas, now sitting, at the court house in Cortlandville, in and for the county of Cortland aforesaid, being at the September Term of said court, Asa Durkham , a resident of the town of Freetown in the said county of Cortland, and State of New York, aged Seventy two years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth, on his oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress, passed June 7 th 1832 -
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated -
That he was born, at Torrington in the State of Connecticut, 1760; but his parents removed to Lancaster in the State of Massachusetts, when he was two years old - There may be, and probably is a record in both those places of his birth, as such records were usual -
That he resided, at said Lancaster, and there enlisted the first part of May, he believes, in the year, 1775, in Capt. Asa Dams' company of Infantry, in Col. Woodbridge's Regiment - That soon after enlisting he went to Boston, and continued in said company and regiment, until the 9 th or 10 th of September following - His company officers, while at Boston were Capt. Dams - Lieut. Caleb Smith - Lieut. Timothy Reed - Sergt. Roger Pettibone - Officers of the Regiment were, Col. Woodbridge - Major Dickson - Adjutant Montague - That is, he remembers those - Col. Patterson's Regiment lay nearest to Col. Woodbridge's while in Boston - Col. Doolittle's also lay at Winter-Hill - Gen. Washington, Gen. Lee, and Gen. Putnam, were there -

About the 9 th or 10 th of September, in said year, 1775, Gen. Benedict Arnold wishing to get men to go with him to Quebec, he volunteered, with the consent of his officers, and went with Gen. Arnold to Quebec - In said expedition to Quebec, he belonged to Capt. William Goodrich's company - The other company officers were Lieut. David Pixley - but does not remember more names - Was in the Regiment of Col. Green - Capt. Morgan - Capt. Smith - Capt. Tappan - and Capt. Train, were officers in the same Regiment he believes - He thinks it was in Col. Green's Regiment - Gen. Arnold, started from Boston, with his force, consisting of 1200 men, on the 19 th September, 1775, he, the declarant being one - marched first to Newburyport - there took shipping and sailed to Fort Western on the Kennebec River - Then went in boats, to near the head of boat passage, carrying their boats around the falls in said river by land in several places - then went up Dead River, having carried our boats from Kennebec River to Dead River - Then carried the boats to Shadec Lake, and then down Shadec river until the boat was lost and the provisions with it - The men marched on foot from Fort Western on Kennebec, the boats were used only to transport provisions & ammunition - lost our ammunition on Dead River by a freshet - On our march our meat failed on Dead River - flour was nearly gone on Shadec Lake - Some had one day's, some two days allowance, and but one barrel left, which was lost on Shadec river - We then went without five days, until our company, which was in front, got a heifer and eat it without bread or salt - We however eat a dog in our company two days before the heifer - Gen. Arnold, went himself a head of us all as soon as he saw provisions would fail - When we got among the French population we got beef & potatoes to eat - this was the 2 nd of November - about the 15 th of

November, we arrived on the river opposite Irobec at Point Levi - there we waited till the rest of the troops came up - then crossed the river in boats in the night which Gen. Arnold had previously prepared - Just as all had crossed, a barge from a British ship which lay 2 or 3 miles above, came near, and on being hailed put off - some shot were fired at the barge by the sentinel & others, which gave alarm in Irobec - Understood this firing was without orders from Gen. Arnold and much to his regret - Otherwise expected to have attacked Irobec - Then took a station near Abraham & Plain's for 5 or 6 days perhaps, then marched 25 miles perhaps to Point Isambel up the river, and lay here till Gen. Montgomery came down from Montreal about the last of November - All then soon went to Irobec and laid siege to it, until the night of last December or morning of 1 st of January, when Gen. Montgomery was killed to the great grief of all - Arnold was wounded - The defendant was then on guard - He remained with the besiegers thro' the winter, until the arrival of Gen. Burgoyne when the siege was raised, and a retreat made - What were left of our company were soon discharged - the Lieut. obtained the discharge - none was given to individuals as he understood - This was about the 6 th of May, 1776 - We then with our Lieut. returned home, we got home about the first of June - Having been in the said service from the enlistment above twelve months - He says Col. Ennis, also went from Boston in company with the troops about half way and then returned back - Major Hays, went clear on and was taken prisoner at Irobec when Gen. Montgomery was killed - He states, and all, are according to his best recollection - That he again, in April, 1777, on learning that the Tories were making disturbance near Albany, volunteered, and went, with the company of Capt. Storer Newell, - Lieut. Timothy Read, as far as Schodack - They went

from said Canesborough, where he resided, and were absent this town for one month - There was another company with us, which was from Pittsfield, but he forgets the names of the officers - They took one or two men prisoners -
In the September following, he thinks, volunteers being called for, he went and joined the aforesaid Capt. Ebenezer Newell & company, and they marched to the lines, at Manchester in Vermont, and joined Col. Warner's Regiment - Does not remember any other regiment being there - Col. Warner, hearing that the enemy was coming to hedge him in, in that place, ordered a retreat to Plentown - but the enemy not coming, we returned again to Manchester - While at Manchester, he went out once, with perhaps 100 men, after provisions, and the party took three hessian prisoners, who had straggled away and got lost as he supposed - Gen. Stark was there
He was in the service this town two months and was dismissed at said Manchester, in November, 1777 - as he believes -
Also, that he was in the month of August, in the same year, 1777, just before the time of service last mentioned above, a volunteer, in the company of Capt. Newell, and was engaged in the battle with the enemy, at or near Bennington, in Vermont, called the Bennington Battle - Capt. Newell, however, did not lead the company into the battle - Capt. Darns took charge of the company and lead it on and through said battle - That he was in the service on this emergency five or six days - That in his youth, he used to spell his name, Durwin , but afterwards spelled it, Durham , as he was told it was more correct, and has so written it since the revolution, tho' he perhaps then wrote it Durwin , he is not certain - That after the revolutionary war, he resided for about

Eight (8) years, at said Lancaster in Massachusetts - Then he removed to Luzerne, in the county of Washington in the State of New York, and there resided for about twenty - years - and then came to Freestown aforesaid, his present residence, where he has continued to reside ever since - being about years - twenty one years -
That he has no documentary proof of his services; and that he does not know of any person he can procure by whom he can prove the same - except Andrew Squires who can state some circumstances attending the same - and whose affidavit he expects to procure -
That he is known to Benjamin W. Capron & John Tinker, in his present neighborhood, who can testify in regard to his character for veracity, and as to their belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution -
That he hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State - Sworn to, and subscribed the day and year aforsaid -
Samuel Hotchkiss H. Clerk
We Benjamin W. Capron residing in the town of Freestown in the county of Cortland aforesaid, and John Tinker - residing in the same place - hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Asa Durham, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be seventy two years of age; that he is respected and beloved in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution, and that we concur in that opinion -
Sworn to, and subscribed the day and year aforesaid -
Samuel Hotchkiss H. Clerk
3 Benj n W. Capron
John Tinker

And the said court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interroga- tories prescribed by the War Department, that the above na- med applicant was a soldier of the revolution and served as he states - And the court further certifies that it appears to them that Benjamin W. Capron - who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in the town of Greektown - in said county of Cortland, and that John Ginker - who has also signed the same is a resident in the same place - and are credible persons, and that their statement is entitled to credit - the word "clergyman" in above interlined before presentation -
William Mallery
J. Reynolds Andrew Dickson
Judges of Cortland County Courts
Almon Brown Oliver Kingman
State of New York
County of Cortland - Esq. I, Samuel Hotchkiss Jr.,
Clerk of the court of common pleas in and for the said county of Cortland, do hereby certify, that the foregoing con- tains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the ap- plication of Asa Durham for a pension -
In testimony whereof, I have here- unto set my hand and seal of the said Clerk's Office this twenty fifth day of September in the year, 1832.
Samuel Hotchkiss Jr. CLK

Asa Durham Declaration for Pension

November 9, 1928
Dr. Harry E. Canfield 319 Stewart Building Rockford, Illinois
Sir:
I advise you from the papers in the Revolutionary war pension claim, S. 12820, it appears that Asa Durham or Durwin was born in 1760 at Torrington, Connecticut, and moved to Lanesborough, Massachusetts, with his parents, their names not given, when he was two years old.
While residing at said Lanesborough, he enlisted and served with the Massachusetts Troops as follows:
From early in May 1775 to September 10, 1775, as a private in Captain Asa Barnes' Company, Colonel Woodbridge's Regiment; from September 10, 1775 to May 6, 1776, as a private in Captain William Goodrich's Company, Colonel Greene's Regiment; and was in the expedition to Quebec and in the battle there; from in April 1777, one month as a private in Captain Ebenezer Newell's Company, Colonel Warner's Regiment; in August 1776 1777 , five or six days as a private under Captain Barnes at the battle of Bennington; from in September 1777, two months as ser-

geant in Captain Ebenezer Newell's Company, Colonel Warner's Regiment.
He was allowed pension on his application executed September 25, 1832, at which time he was living at Free-town, Cortland County, New York, having moved there from Luzerne, Washington County, New York. He died May 29, 1834.
There are no family data.
Respectfully,
E. W. MORGAN Acting Commissioner.

Perham
12820 INVALID.
File No. 12. 820
Abel Perham Sergt New War
Act: Jerome Feb 82
Index: —Vol. ...., Page .....
[Arrangement of 1870.]
1922-1928. - File to Mrs. B.S. Perham - Mrs. J. 1924 Mar 14. Mrs. J. N. Perham ad. that her Husband died May 29, 1924. Also ad. that same of wife. date of marriage - date of her death are not on record. Mrs. 1924 May 5. Mrs. J. N. Perham ad. - to which to get release of death. Mrs. J. 1928 Nov 7. H. wife to Mr. Henry E. Canfield ad.

State of New York
County of Chenango 3 d . John Percival of Smyrna in said county being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that he was in the year, 1775, a soldier in the company of Capt. William Goodrich in Col. Paterson's Regiment, in the expedition of Col. Benedict Arnold against Quebec — That he was well acquainted with Asa Durham, who was then a resident of Lanesborough in the State of Massachusetts, and who now resides in the town of Freetown in the county of Cortland & State of New York, as he is informed and believes to be true — And that said Asa Durham was a soldier in said company & Regiment & went with detachment from Boston in September in said year, and continued in said service with said company & Regiment, in said expedition, through its service until about the first of May, 1776, when the company was discharged and went to their several homes —
Sworn to & subscribed this 10 th day of October, 1812
John Percival
Before me; and I do further certify that said Percival is known to me and that he is a person of of credibility & truth —
Rev. Read Judge Chenango Common Pleas

Rev. Stephen J. Peckham
Pension -
15 3/4
Wm D
Bro. Peck
2 mo. 15 3/4
15.
State of New York County of Orange ss. I, Lewis H. Pike, Clerk of said county, do certify, that Hezekiah Read, before whom the within affidavit purports to have been sworn, was on the day of the date of the same, one of the judges of the court of com- mon pleas in for said county, that I am acquainted with his hand writing and verily believe his name subscribed to the said affidavit to be his genuine hand writing and signature -
Witness my hand and seal of office this 10th day of October, 1832 -
L. H. Pike Clerk

State of New York
Orleans County
Clerk's Office
I Samuel H. Stockbridge Clerk of said County do certify that Oliver Kingman Esq before whom affidavit purports to have been sworn was at the date hereof a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in & for said county duly commissioned and sworn that that I am acquainted with his handwriting & only believe his name subscribed to the within affidavit to be his own proper handwriting & signature
Witness my hand & Seal of office May 27. 1833
Sam H. Stockbridge A.M.

Asa Durham : Declaration for Pension

State of New York County of Cortland
vs. Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a judge of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said county, Asa Durham , who being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear pos- itively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades: For one year and two months I served as a private; For two months I served as a sergeant, and for such service I claim a pension -
The two months service as a sergeant was in the town mentioned under Col. Warner or in his Regiment - My first tour was thirteen months from the time I entered the service to my getting home in June - I was discharged on the 6 th of May, 1876, said tour, and arrived at my home the 2 nd of June following - Therefore reckoning my time returning home made the thirteen months - If this, that is, my time returning home is not allowable, then those days are to be deducted from said thirteen months and further saith not -
Asa Durham
Sworn and subscribed this
27 th day of May, 1888, before me - and I certify that I am well acquainted with said Asa Durham & that he is a person of truth & veracity - Oliver Kingman Judge of Cortland Com. Pleas

State of New York County of Cortland S p . Andrew Squires, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that he is well acquainted with Asa Durham, now of the town of Freetown in the county of Cortland aforesaid, and has been ac- quainted with him from his youth - That this de- ponent saw said Asa Durham going from Can- brough in the state of Massachusetts, as deponent then understood and believed, as deponent then lived in said Canbrough, that is to say, some time in the summer of the year, 1775, as he believes going to join the American Army at Boston - and deponent when he saw said Durham going away, then thought he would never return again, on account of said Durham being so young - But deponent saw him again sometime in the summer of the following year, 1776, after he had returned - and it was then said and believed, that said Durham had been with Gen. Arnold at Quebec - and deponent about that time was informed that said Durham was seen at Quebec in said service, and deponent believes, and has always believed it was as thus stated - And deponent further states that he verily believes that the said Durham in the year, 1777, served one month in the spring, and two months in the summer of said year, 1777, in the revolutionary war in the service of his country -
Andrew Squires
- Sworn to, and subscribed the 1 st day of November 1822 before me,
Col. John L. Smith

State of New York
Cortland County Clerk's Office ss.
I Samuel Hotchkiss D r Clerk of said County do certify Cephas Comstock Esq r before whom the within affidavit purports to have been sworn. Was at the date of the same a Justice of the Peace in the Town of Marathon in said County duly Commissioned and sworn. his acts therefore in that Capacity are to be regarded as such Also that I am acquainted with his handwriting and verily believe his name thereto subscribed to be his own proper handwriting & signature Witness my hand and Seal of office this 18 th day of October A.D 1832
Sam d Hotchkiss D r Clerk

Link 2 et-stamped envelope enclosed
Marshall St. P. Minnesota
Oct. 7 th 1922
Bureau of Pensions Washington D. C.
Rev. mkt
Dear Sir: Will you please look among your records of the Revolutionary War and see if my ancestor Asa Durham was a pensioner?
He enlisted at Albany N. Y. and lived his last years in either Tompkins Co. or Schuyler Co. N. Y. State.
I am very sincerely
Mr. G. H. Goodwin

Marshall Minn
April 3 rd 1924
Washington Gardens, Conn.
Washington D. C.
Dear Sir:
I wish to thank you for the information received in regard to the Revolutionary War Pensioner, Asa Durham or Durwin S. 12820 but am going to ask one more item concerning him. Will you please tell me in what town in N. Y. State he died?
Very sincerely
To Mrs. G. H. Goodwin Rev. + 1512 War Section.

Marshall Minn
Feb. 11 th 1924
Washington Gardner, Bureau of Pensions, Washington D.C.
Dear Sir: Some time ago you very kindly sent me informa- tion in regard to my Revolutionary Ancestor Asa Durwin (or Durham) but there are several facts I would still like to ob- tain. Was there any mention made in your data of the 1 st name of his wife, 2 nd the date of their marriage

or the 3 rd date of their deaths? The latter date would no doubt be mentioned when his pension ceased to be paid. I will appreciate any effort put forth to secure this information & will gladly pay the necessary expense.
Very sincerely
Mrs. G. H. Goodwin
Marshall
Minnesota

PRACTICE LIMITED TO DISEASES OF EYE, EAR, NOSE AND THROAT
DR. HARRY E. CANFIELD
319 STEWART BLDG. ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS
Department of the Interior
Bureau of Pensions,
Washington, D.C.
Gentlemen: Kindly send me the history of my ancestor Asa Durham (Durwin) - a soldier of the Revolutionary War. also a pensioner - Born in Torrington Conn. 1760. A copy of his service record and any family data, would be very welcome.
Very truly yours.
Harry E. Canfield

I, Barah Niles, of Cincinnati in the county of Cortland and State of New York, beg leave to state, that I was attending the court of common pleas in the county of Chenango on the 9 th & 10 th days of October inst.; and that I chanced to hear John Percival , a stranger to me, relate his services in the campaign of Col. D. Arnold against Brube in the year 1775 & 86 - He told the story so much like the story of Asa Durham, that I asked him in whose comp y he served - He answered in Capt. Wm. Goodrich's - I then asked him if he recollect d a soldier in said comp y by the name of Asa Durham - to which he answered, well - I then told him that Mr. D. was an applicant in Cortland Co. and lived there, and that I was assisting Mr. D. in drawing his papers &c; and further asked him, if he would permit me to take his affi d - to which he readily answered in the affirmative - I therefore drew it up and send the same with Mr. D.'s papers - and make this statement in explanation, as the two old soldiers were totally ignorant of each other's residence - I have not since seen Mr. Durham as he resides ten miles from me -
With sentiments of great respect
I am &c -
To the War Department -
B. Niles

B. Miles Stalman
Wra Durham
Co. R

112820
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
Washington, D. C., Nov. 11 , 19 22
In reply to your request of _____, received _____ for a statement of the military history of Asa Durham a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pension on file in this Bureau.
   DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. LENGTH OF SERVICE. RANK. OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. STATE.   CAPTAIN. COLONEL.     Early May 1775 - Sept. 10 - 1775 Private Asa Barnes Hoofridge Mass.   Sept. 10 - 1775 - May 6 - 1776 " William Goodrich Greene   Apr. 1777 1 mo. " Sheneye Newell Warner   Aug. 1777 5016 das. " Barnes ✓   Sept. 1777 2 mos. Sergt. Sheneye Newell Warner  
Battles engaged in, Expedition to Quebec & Battle there, Battle of Bennington. Residence of soldier at enlistment, Concord, Mass. Date of application for pension, Sept. 25, 1832. This cl. was ab. Residence at date of application, Freetown, Bristol Co. N.H. Age at date of application, Born 1760 in Farmington, Conn. Remarks: Moved to Freetown, Mass. with parent (name not stated) at age of 2 yrs. Eight years after went to Eugene, Washington Co. N.Y. there 70 yrs. then to said Freetown. There is no family data on file. H. d. May 29, 1834
Respectfully,
Commissioner.

Rev. & 1812 Wars Section
WCS
March 14, 1924
Mrs. C. H. Goodwin Marshall Minn.
Helen:
I have to advise you that the Revolutionary War pensioner, Asa Durham or Durwin, S. 12820, died May 29, 1834.
The name of his wife, date of their marriage, and date of her death are not on record.
Respectfully,
Commissioner

Rev. & 1812 War Section
ms 1
May 5, 1924
Mrs. C. H. Goodwin Marshall Minn.
Madam:
I have to advise you that for the last payment of pension and place of death in the Revolutionary War pension claim, S.12820, you should apply to the Pension Section, Civil Division, General Accounting Office, 1800 E St., N.W., Washington, D.C., citing all of the following data:
Asa Durham, Certificate 14661, issued June 7, 1833, rate $53.33 per annum, commenced March 4, 1831, Courtland, New York Agency, Act June 7, 1832.
Respectfully,
Commissioner